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This is an inkstone. Before the use of manufactured ink, Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans all created liquid ink for writing and painting by grinding a stick of ink with a bit of water on a slightly abrasive, usually stone surface. The Chinese are known in recent decades for elaborately carved inkstones (in contrast to previous periods (especially shapes that originated during the Tang and Song) of a more minimalist aesthetic) but I am not 100% sure this is Chinese. Here the water would be poured into the pool bisected by the dragon's breath, and the ink ground on the circular surface. It's a somewhat specialized topic but inkstones are actively collected. There's plenty of basic information available via Google.
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